Page 99 of Bad For A Weekend

“Sure. When?”

“This morning. I’m feeling pretty gross.”

She eyes me with speculation. Did I ask too soon after they told me Owen was coming? Should I have talked more about Ziggy and his trip first?

“Of course.” She gives me a tight-lipped smile.

“I guess I’ll take our little rule-breaker home, then.” Dad picks up Julien, stopping to let me kiss him first. “I’ll be back tonight, okay?”

“Okay, Dad.”

“Text me what you want for dinner, and I’ll have it brought in.”

“I already know. I want butter chicken from that Indian place we love.” My stomach growls at the mention.

“Sure thing.”

Tucking Julien back into the backpack, he leaves Brandy and me alone.

“You ready now?” she asks.

“Yep. Let’s do it.”

Brandy follows the directions the nurse gave her, putting a waterproof bandage over my surgical site before helping me into the shower. I’m still fairly weak, so after wetting my hair, Brandy flips off the water so she can wash it. My stomach is so bruised and swollen, I can’t stand to even look at it.

“It looks a lot better than it did last time you showered,” she says.

“Still looks gross.”

“You’ll have a badass scar.”

“Great. That’ll look good in a bikini.”

“It’ll make you look tough.”

After combing in some deep conditioner, she gives me a minute to wash my body before rinsing. I spend the next hour brushing my hair, putting lotion on, brushing my teeth, and ditching the hospital gowns I’ve been wearing since I got here for some loose-fitting sweatpants and a tee.

“I feel like a new woman,” I say. “Did you happen to bring any makeup?”

I’m pushing it, I know. But the circles under my eyes are dark, and I’m even more pale than usual.

“You don’t need makeup.”

“I just thought Dad would believe me about how good I feel if I had a little color on my cheeks.”

“Your Dad or Owen?”

“What are you talking about?” I do my best to look confused.

“I know about you two.”

I try to say something, but every last word in the dictionary leaves my head. Instead, I just stutter through a couple consonants and vowels that don’t go together.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell your dad.”

I pick at my pale pink nail polish. “How did you find out?”

“I had my suspicions. Your interactions in Tulum set off my Spidey-senses. Then at graduation, I saw the devastation in his eyes and that confirmed it for me. Well, that and I straight up asked him if he was in love with you.”

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